[Chief Rum]

Day Eight

Big Signings

CB Jason Webster signs with the Ravens McCallister who? After just two days, Baltimore not only replaces McAllister with Taylor, but then get better at the other corner spot with former Niner Webster, the #10 CB available in FA. Webster signed a sizable, $19.62 M.5-year deal, which was quite a bit higher than the offers he got from Jacksonville and Kansas City, the other two teams with offers in on him. The Niners didn't make an offer.

G Kevin Donnalley signs with the Jags Jacksonville made a key addition to their line by signing this vet, the #7 G available in free agency. Donnalley signed for $4.16 M/2-years. He will help replace the three solid line starters the Jags lost to free agency. onnalley did not receive an offer from anyone else, including his 2003 squad, the Panthers.

P Chris Gardocki signs with the Niners San Francisco filled a hoel by signing the #5 P in feee agency, and the best remaining of the punting specialists in the class. Gardocki signed a $1.60 M/2-year contract to leave Cleveland. He received no other offers.

K Jason Hanson signs with the Ravens Baltimore continued a solid recent run in free agency bi inking the top remaining free agent kicker. Hanson, the #5 K in free agency, is leaving his longtime team, the Lions, for $1.83 M/2 years. Unlike most other free agents, the Lions actually made an effort to retain him, but they fell short of the Ravens' offer by more than $200K overall. Hanson also turned down an offer from the Jets.

WR Troy Brown signs with the Vikings The Vikes continue to take players from the poor Pats. Brown is the #3 WR in a mediocre free agent class for the position. He signed a nice $6.96 M/2-year deal, which is far more than receivers not too far behind him have been getting. The Chiefs are bridesmaids again, as the only other team competing for Brown. The Pats didn't make an offer.

C Rich Braham signs with the Ravens Braham becomes the next feather in an impressive cap for the Ravens today. Braham is the #4 overall C in free agency, and twice is nice, he comes to the Ravens from division foe Cincy. Braham signed a $4.29 M/3-year deal. No one else made him an offer.

RB Curtis Martin signs with the Buccaneers It isn't a great running back class, but you can't fault the Buccs for signing the best there was. Martin was the #1 RB entering free agency, and joins Tampa Bay from the poor, pathetic Jets. Martin isn't a truly dominant back, but he's better than Thomas Jones and Michael Pittman, both of whom are also in this free agent class, and who are still out there and available. Martin signed for $1.97 M/2-years, taking Tampa Bay's offer over similar offers from the Cowboys and Eagles.

OLB Cornell Brown signs with the Raiders The Raiders continue to try to come back from perhaps the worst combined free agency/retirement purge in the league. Brown will help replace Barton and Romanowski, who manned the outside linebacker spots for the Silver & Black last year. Brown was signed away from the Ravens, in the one loss they had today. Brown signed a $3.49 M/3-year deal, which was much more lucrative than the other offers he received. Brown also received interest from the Browns (where they already have a guy named Cornall Brown), Chargers, Broncos and Lions. The Ravens did not make an offer.

Other Signings

The Ravens signed DT Shaun Rogers away from Detroit for $1.30 M/2-years.
The Panthers signed CB Terrell Buckley away from Miami for $2.20 M/2-years.
The Chargers signed T Jason Matthews away from Tennessee for $3.11 M/2-years.
The Skins signed DT Jason Fisk away from San Diego for $1.54 M/2-years.

NOTES FROM DAY EIGHT

Well, the Ravens are certainly making an impact.

As for the Cards, we had no one signed again. We are continuing to fight for G Stinchcomb, and SS Anthony Dorsett is also getting strong attention from others that is forcing us to increase our offer.

CR